


The Witch's Charm

by Atisenia



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Gift Fic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 21:11:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2888036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atisenia/pseuds/Atisenia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was possible that Molly shouldn't help anyone running away from the king's knights. But she was a physician's daughter and she couldn't leave somebody who'd just fainted in front of her.<br/>Could she?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Witch's Charm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [You_Light_The_Sky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/You_Light_The_Sky/gifts).



> A late birthday/Christmas present for [Christine](http://archiveofourown.org/users/You_Light_The_Sky). Sorry it took so long. It was supposed to be a lot shorter, a silly 2K ficlet. But then the ideas kept coming and the fic kept growing and... well. This happened.  
> I still have many crazy ideas and headcanons about this story, but I felt it was a good place to finish.  
> I hope you'll like it and forgive me if I lost the battle with the English language. I fought bravely.;)

Being the only child of the court physician could give you a much needed start in life, especially if the kingdom didn’t prosper the way it used to. Unless, of course, you were a girl. No matter how much Molly always helped her father, no matter how capable she was, the only thing she would ever be permitted to do by herself was deliver babies. Molly preferred collecting herbs for her father for as long as she could.

She entered the forest from the north, humming a melody she overheard at the latest feast. She wasn’t invited, of course, but she volunteered for kitchen duty when her friend Caroline got sick the day of the feast and a replacement was desperately needed. She even got to see some of the guests dancing and imagined herself between them, swaying in the arms of brave, noble knights.

With a smile on her lips, she started down the narrow path to the clearing she knew had some of the best chamomile. She was almost there when she heard people on horses calling to each other and coming from the east towards her.

Molly frowned. It was still a few weeks until the hunting season, so it was probably a group of poachers. She left her basket behind a tree and came closer, creeping behind the bushes to watch the clearing without being seen.

You had to be a fool to hunt in King James’s forest without his permission. Molly once saw how the king punished a peasant boy for shooting a deer to stop his family from starving. She couldn’t stand the sight of food for three days after that and she still shuddered whenever she thought of it. She could only imagine how much more cruel the punishment for regular poaching would be.

She expected to see people on horses, so it took her some time to notice a thin man making his way across the clearing in Molly’s direction. He glanced over his shoulder and tripped over an exposed root, falling on his face in front of Molly. He groaned in pain in a surprisingly high-pitched voice, and pressed a hand to his left side.

Molly looked around, making sure none of the poachers reached the clearing yet, and rushed to help the man.

“Sir, a-are you hurt?” she asked, gently touching his shoulder.

The man groaned again and turned onto his back, his eyes firmly closed. His face looked like one large grimace of pain but it was still beautiful. He had dark hair hidden under a hat, high cheekbones and long lashes.

“Can... can you move?” Molly tried asking again. “I-I would help you here but if... if they’re looking for you, we should probably... um... hide.”

The man breathed unevenly a couple of times and then nodded. He managed to stand up with Molly’s help and together they strayed from the path and hid in the thick undergrowth. Molly came back for her abandoned basket and managed to hide herself just in time for the first rider to appear on the clearing.

It wasn’t a poacher. Molly watched with wide eyes as the clearing filled with King James’s knights. She turned to look at the wounded man, trying not to panic, but he’d passed out and wouldn’t be able to answer any questions, even if Molly wasn’t afraid of revealing their position.

What did she just get herself into?

The knights didn’t waste much time on the clearing. They exchanged a few words that Molly couldn’t quite catch and rode past them, heading north back to the castle.

Molly didn’t dare move until she could be fairly sure that the knights weren’t coming back. She took a deep breath and looked at the man lying beside her, still unconscious but alive. She couldn’t see any wounds in his side but it was difficult to determine what was under that black leather. Molly couldn’t in good conscience leave him there to die, so she grabbed the man under his arms and pulled.

It wasn’t ideal. Molly always got a healthy dose of exercise but she wasn’t the strongest woman in town, so they had to stop often to rest. The man’s feet bumped on the roots and uneven ground, which was probably aggravating his wounds. Molly apologised silently for every such occasion, even if the man couldn’t hear her. Somehow, his hat managed to stay on his head.

Thankfully, she knew the forest better than any other part of the kingdom, and they reached a small cave she used to play in as a child without any incident. She uncovered the hidden entrance, made sure it was safe and pulled the man inside. Then she lit a torch and looked around.

The cave seemed much smaller now that Molly was a grown woman, but it could still easily accommodate them both. The blanket she used as a child was no longer usable, so Molly decided to take care of that later and focused on the stranger.

He was still unconscious but breathing evenly, which was a good sign. Molly kneeled beside him and pulled his shirt up to examine his side.

“Oh,” she breathed when she saw a very feminine waist that had been hidden under pads sewn into the leather. When she lifted the stranger’s shirt to examine the ribs, she also noticed a pair of small but definitely female breasts.

No open wounds presented themselves and Molly let out a relieved sigh, and covered the woman’s body again. The stranger probably just fainted from exhaustion and pain caused by battered ribs, possibly lack of water and food. Molly could help with that and then... well, then she might be able to ask the woman why she had been running away from King James’s knights dressed as a man.

Molly left the stranger lying on the cave floor as comfortably as one could imagine and searched for something she could use to carry water from the nearby stream. She found her old metal tin, a little rusty now but still functional, and carried the water back to the cave. She carefully made the woman drink it, as she saw her father do with his unconscious patients, and then went out again, looking for food.

Being a physician’s daughter had some advantages. Molly knew which plants would kill her and which were safe to eat, so she gathered some non-poisonous berries and carried them back to the cave.

This time, the woman was awake and looked at Molly with curious blue eyes.

“I-I’m...” Molly started, looking down at the berries she’d collected. “I brought you some food,” she said and extended her arms. The woman still looked at her without saying anything. “It-it’s not much but... but it’s edible and... and you’re probably hungry, so...”

The stranger narrowed her eyes at Molly, then at the berries. That’s when Molly realised the woman had no reason to trust her. As far as she knew, the berries could be poisonous. Molly pursed her lips and lowered herself to the ground.

“They’re good, see?” she said and swallowed a couple of berries. She grimaced. “I-I mean... they’re not very sweet but... but they’re safe.”

The woman observed her for a while and then, seemingly satisfied, took some of Molly’s berries and ate them.

“Why are you helping me, girl?” she asked in a deliberately deeper voice. Molly frowned at her in confusion.

“I know you’re a woman,” she said cautiously.

The stranger sighed and untied the straps that held her hat on her head. Strands of gorgeous dark hair fell over her shoulders.

“There’s nothing for it then, I suppose,” she murmured, looking at the hat. Then she fixed her eyes on Molly. “What do you want?”

“I... what... sorry?”

The woman sighed.

“You saw me running from the knights,” she said. “You didn’t turn me in yet, so you obviously have some kind of a goal here. What is it?”

Molly blinked at the stranger and crossed her arms.

“Well, I thought you might be hurt,” she said defensively. “Or _dying_.”

The woman tilted her head again and smirked.

“Oh, love, no one helps people like me without asking for a favour in return,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension.

Molly pursed her lips and tried very hard not to glare.

“It’s Molly,” she said. “And I don’t need any favours.” She lifted her chin proudly. “Your ribs are badly bruised but I don’t think they’re broken, so you should be fine. There... there’s a stream nearby and you can pick up your own berries.”

She turned on her heel with every intention of walking away.

“And how do I know you’re not going to talk about me to your precious king?” the stranger asked. There was no anger or suspicion in her voice, or she just knew how to hide it well. Instead, she sounded amused or maybe curious.

Molly turned back to face her.

“You don’t,” she said. “But before I get back to the castle and manage to get the king’s attention, you’ll already be far away from here, so...” She shrugged.

The woman looked her up and down, and smiled with appreciation. Molly suspected she now knew how mice must feel just moments before her cat caught them.

“Oh, you’re smart,” the woman said and leaned back on her elbows. “That’s terribly attractive.”

Molly took an involuntary step back and felt heat spreading on her cheeks. The men she knew never appreciated her intelligence, and she wasn’t considered a beauty in the town either, so she didn’t really know how to respond to that comment.

“I... uh...” she started, looking down at her hands. “I-I need to bring my father some herbs, so... If... if you’re still here when I come back, I-I’ll bring you some food.”

She pursed her lips and left the cave.

 

***

 

Molly’s father was predictably unimpressed when she showed up with a basket half-filled only with peppermint. She didn’t even bring the chamomile, just opted for the fastest thing and ran home.

“And just what do you expect me to do with this, young lady?” her father said.

Molly looked down and bit her lower lip.

“I-I’m sure someone will need it soon, Father,” she said. “When’s the next feast? Or we can make the oil!”

“You know it doesn’t work like that! I can’t choose what people come to me with. I need other herbs, too!” Molly’s father sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“I can... I can go back,” Molly said and her father looked at her sharply. “It won’t be dark for a few hours yet. I’ll just... um... grab some food and go back to the forest.”

She met her father’s eyes, trying to look as innocent and open as possible. Finally, her father nodded and gave her back her basket.

“Just bring me some nettle this time,” he said and smiled at her.

Molly took the basket and went down to the castle kitchens to steal some food from Caroline. Her friend was not impressed with her but she was also grateful for Molly’s help during the last feast, so Molly went out of the castle with a whole loaf of bread and a piece of smoked cod.

When she reached the cave, the woman was still there, and she’d started a fire.

“Marvellous,” she said. “You didn’t bring company.”

Molly frowned at her.

“Well, you didn’t run,” she said, straightening her back.

The woman’s lips stretched into an amused smile.

“Perhaps I was hungry,” she said, looking Molly in the eye rather than into her basket.

“I-I... um...” Molly mumbled, blushing. “Here.”

She extended the basket and the woman took it from her, brushing Molly’s hand with her fingers. Molly found her gaze unnerving and looked away.

“Um... I’ll get you some water,” she said, grabbed the tin and went to the stream. She sat on the ground and took a couple of deep breaths.

There was something about this strange woman that made Molly behave like an idiot. Normally, she was able to hold her ground, no matter if she was dealing with overeager drunk men or the castle gossip. Molly could only think of one person who had a similar effect on her, and that was Prince Sherlock from the neighbouring kingdom. He looked striking in his armour during the last tournament, slowly defeating knights twice as big, often using clever tricks to do it. He only looked at her once, in passing, his eyes assessing her, making her feel exposed. Then he murmured something about “petty society rules” and lost all interest in her, leaving her half-convinced that he was some kind of a seer who could look into her soul.

And yet, his gaze had been intense, but almost clinical. The interested focus of the woman Molly left in the cave made her twitch for a different reason that Molly couldn’t quite identify.

She sighed, aware of the sun moving over the horizon. She didn’t have time to waste if she wanted to get back to the castle before dusk. She had things to do.

Molly filled the tin with water and went back to the cave.

“Oh, good, I was starting to think you might have drowned,” the woman said to her with a twist of her lips. “Thank you, darling.” Her eyes sparkled when she took the water from Molly and drank it. She gave the tin back with an almost obscene sound. “I’m Irene,” she said.

Molly put the tin on the ground, ignoring the sudden tremor in her hands. She looked back at the woman — Irene — who was watching her with amusement.

“Well, um... Hello,” Molly said, not sure what to do or say next. Which might explain the words that came out of her mouth. “Are you a witch?”

Irene blinked at her and started laughing, as if that was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. She sat on the old blanket she had folded and put by the fire, and looked at Molly through her long lashes.

“I suppose that would depend on your definition,” she said, which wasn’t exactly a denial.

Molly hesitated and then came closer and sat down beside her.

“Meaning?” she asked.

Irene sent her an assessing look.

“You’re wondering what I’ve done to be hunted by the king’s charming knights,” she said. Molly nodded. “I don’t have magic, if that’s what you meant, but none of the women your King James accused of witchcraft had it.” Molly looked at her in shock but Irene just shrugged. “Magic is a ridiculous concept, as I’m sure James is aware, but it’s also very convenient. Whenever a woman becomes too powerful or influential, you only have to tell the frightened crowd that she’s a witch and no one will ask too many questions when you imprison or execute her.” Irene looked pointedly at Molly. “They’ll probably cheer,” she said.

Molly swallowed and averted her eyes. She could never really watch public executions without cringing, and even though she was raised to believe and fear witchcraft, Molly could easily see Irene’s point. She often felt the need to conceal that she could read and write. Otherwise people looked at her with suspicion.

“So what did you do?” Molly asked, playing with her dress.

Irene laughed bitterly.

“Well, apparently I knew too much,” she said. Molly looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Don’t look so surprised, love. Information is a powerful weapon, and it can achieve more than those big edgy swords  men like to wave around.” Irene’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “It’s addictive,” she said, her voice low and velvety next to Molly’s ear.

Molly felt herself blush and looked at the flames casting strange shadows on the stone walls.

“I-I don’t think you should have started the fire,” she said. “The king’s knights will see the smoke.”

“Oh darling, what’s an adventure without a bit of risk?” Irene said and put a wayward lock of Molly’s hair behind her ear. They really shouldn’t have a fire here. It was too hot. “Very clever of you though. Was it your idea to ventilate the cave?”

“No,” Molly admitted grudgingly. There was something about Irene that made Molly want to impress her. “It-it was like this when I found it. And that’s... that’s really good. I mean... because I was a kid and... well.” She shrugged. “I’m a physician’s daughter. I’ve seen what damage smoke can cause.”

“Mm...” Irene hummed and pointed at Molly’s basket. “You should probably look for some herbs. It’s going to be dark soon.”

“But—” Molly protested. She still had questions.

“I’ll be here tomorrow, darling, no need to worry,” Irene said with a smile. “I’m sure you’ll bring me more delicious things.”

The smile she sent in Molly’s direction reminded Molly again of Toby preparing to catch a mouse or a bird. She had a feeling that Irene wasn’t talking about food.

She stood up quickly and nearly tripped on her own dress. She muttered a rushed goodbye, grabbed the basket and all but ran away from the cave.

When she got to the clearing, Molly relaxed a bit. The steady walk through the forest helped her clear her mind. As she started collecting herbs, Molly told herself to stop being silly. It was the cave’s strange atmosphere that made her feel uneasy, not Irene’s words or behaviour. Every gesture would seem distorted in the flickering light of the fire.

A lot calmer after that, she went back to her quarters just in time for supper.

 

***

 

Molly treaded down the forest path with a sense of accomplishment. She looked proudly at her basket in which she managed to secure more bread and a fresh piece of fried chicken. She had to give up her favourite bracelet for it, but she thought it was worth it. She also found an old but still functional blanket under her bed and she couldn’t wait to see Irene’s face when she presented it all to her.

She crossed the clearing and started down the path towards the cave. She could just see it between the bushes when someone grabbed her around the middle and pulled her behind the nearest tree. Molly wanted to scream but a hand clasped tightly around her mouth. She still had her basket and she was prepared to swing it and bite at the same time when the person behind her spoke quietly right into her ear.

“Easy, darling,” Irene said and Molly relaxed. No one stopped her when she turned her head and glared. Irene’s mouth twitched with amusement. “Can you see the cave from here?” she asked.

“It’s right in front of us,” Molly muttered, still unimpressed. Irene smiled fully this time.

“Observe,” she said.

Molly sighed but looked at the cave, not really sure what she was supposed to be seeing. There was nothing unusual about it, it looked exactly the same as the day before. She was about to ask Irene what this was all about when two knights stepped out of the cave. Molly barely managed to suppress a surprised gasp.

“How...” she breathed.

“I heard them coming early in the morning,” Irene whispered into her ear, her lips almost touching Molly’s face. “There’s no subtlety to these men, honestly. I escaped easily before they even reached the cave. I left a false trail for them to follow down the stream, going south-west.”

Molly observed as the two knights went around the cave and started calling to someone, presumably their friends. She turned her head slightly and looked at Irene.

“Ok,” she said. “So... um... what do we do now?”

Irene lifted one eyebrow and stepped back a little to focus on Molly’s face. It made Molly feel self-conscious. She bit her lip and looked down at her basket.

“We?” Irene asked after a moment of tense silence. “I was hoping you would be kind enough to show me a different place to stay for a while. I suppose it’s too much to ask for another cosy cave but something private and hidden will do.”

Molly finally turned fully to face Irene and scowled at her.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” she said.

“Molly—”

“There’s an empty woodshed an hour of walking west from here but it’s risky if you left them a trail,” Molly said, still glaring at Irene. “There’s this old tree south-east from here. It’s hollow now and wide enough to let you curl on the ground. I can get you there.”

Irene looked like she wanted to protest but eventually she just nodded. Molly gripped her basket tighter and pursed her lips with determination. After all that happened, she wasn’t going to let Irene sent her home just like that. And, judging by the thoughtful look on Irene’s face, there was a great chance that she might try.

“This way,” Molly said and led them as quietly as she could to the rarely frequented path going south.

They walked in silence for a while and then Molly took a turn to the east. There were fewer trees here but they were bigger and older. Molly always felt a need to whisper whenever she entered this part of the forest; it called for solemnity — like a temple. Irene must have felt it too because she was looking around with wide eyes and slightly parted lips.

“We’re here,” Molly said softly, just a breath louder than a whisper. She touched the wide hollow trunk of the tree they stopped behind and went around it, trailing her hand over the bark. Irene followed her wordlessly until they reached a bear-sized hole. Molly peeked inside to make sure everything was in order. “Um...” she started, suddenly unsure. “Does it... do you like it?”

She turned to look at Irene who smiled.

“It’s perfect, darling.”

“Yeah, but, um... you’re probably used to better... I mean in the cave you could at least build a fire and here...”

“I’ll be fine, Molly, really,” Irene said with a soft smile. “After all, you brought me a blanket.”

Molly looked down at her basket and blushed. This little remark shouldn’t have made her so pleased with herself. She really needed to work on not being silly.

“I-I also... um... brought you food,” Molly said though it sounded more like a question even to her ears. She sighed. “Here.”

Molly gave Irene the basket and watched as the woman settled down in the hollow trunk. Molly hovered awkwardly outside, not wanting to crowd the already small space.

“Well, come here, love,” Irene said scooting to the side of the blanket. “This chicken won’t eat itself.”

“Oh no, I-I’ve already... I mean... it’s all for you, really,” Molly protested. “I’m not hungry.”

“Good,” Irene said with a smile and patted the space beside her.

Molly hesitated. Something about sitting in the cramped space with Irene made her stomach feel funny. She debated searching for some water source but she didn’t want to come back just to find Irene already gone.

She took a deep breath and sat beside Irene, picking at her dress.

“Mm... it’s delicious,” Irene said, eating the chicken. “I knew I could count on you.”

Molly blushed, betrayed once again by her own body.

“It’s nothing,” she mumbled. She avoided looking at Irene while she ate, focusing instead on the tree they were in.

It was an old oak, partly dried and not particularly extensive. It was as if the branches recognized the trunk’s dominance and didn’t dare grow too much. Or maybe they were eaten by the same force that hollowed out the trunk.

The interior could be nicer; there were insects crawling up and down the tree. But it was relatively safe and well-lit, and reasonably easy to escape from quickly.

“You probably want to know how I managed to annoy your dear King James,” Irene said after a while. Molly looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“Annoy?” she asked incredulously.

Irene smirked and leaned back, letting her hair fall loose behind her.

“Enough to send his boys after me,” she said and Molly still stared at her, waiting for a better explanation. “Oh, he’s a strange man, your king. A triviality can make him burn down a house, if he’s in a mood for it.”

“Why would he do that?” Molly exclaimed. She thought about that peasant boy again and shivered.

“Because he can?” Irene said looking pointedly at her. Molly folded her arms and lifted her chin.

“And you think that’s okay?” she asked. She didn’t like the flippant way in which Irene talked about the problem.

Irene just shrugged.

“I can’t do anything about it, can I, darling?” she said. “I am currently the house that the king wants to burn.”

Molly had to grudgingly admit that Irene had a point. She didn’t have to like it or even agree with her but it wasn’t as if Irene was responsible for King James’s behaviour. Especially when it turned against her.

“Fine,” Molly said and decided to move on. “Ho-how did you... um...”

“Become a witch?” Irene asked, her eyes sparkling. “I sang in a wrong place at a wrong time.”

“You...” Molly looked at her with huge, surprised eyes. “You what?”

“I’m a singer, Molly,” Irene said, flicking away a spider that started up her arm. Then she looked Molly in the eye. “I often find myself in the company of intoxicated people who are more likely to reveal a secret or two.” She looked down at her nails. “Most of them prefer their secrets to stay secret.”

Just like that, Molly understood.

“So you... um... you use those secrets to... to get something you want?” she asked in a small voice.

“Don’t look so disappointed, darling. I’ve never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it,” Irene said and looked at Molly with honest intensity. “Some secrets really do need to stay secret. But it doesn’t hurt if a couple of nobles owe you some favours.”

Molly still wasn’t entirely convinced. It just didn’t seem right to her but then neither did the fact that she couldn’t become a physician.

“So... um... you discovered the king’s secret?” she asked, trying not to purse her lips. They were already small.

“So it seems.” Irene paused and looked out at rows of old, majestic trees. “Let’s take a walk.”

She stood up quickly and disappeared behind the tree without waiting for Molly’s response. Molly hesitated but followed her with gritted teeth. They walked silently next to each other, meandering through the undergrowth.

“I thought they were just rumours, you know,” Irene said eventually when they reached the edge of the old part of the forest and found what had to be the other side of the stream. “What I heard.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I sang at the latest feast in the castle but I didn’t really expect to hear anything about the king. Even through my contacts, I could never learn anything useful about James, and what little people were willing to tell me always sounded ridiculous.”

She paused, a frown making her features sharper. She sat down by the water and waited for Molly to join her.

“You... um...” Molly started, bouncing on her feet. “You sang at the feast?” she asked, trying not to look overly excited.

“I did, yes. Why?” Irene asked, sending Molly a curious look. She patted the space beside her and raised an eyebrow.

Molly bit her lip but sat down by the water, too. She tried to concentrate on something different than her fast beating heart.

“No reason,” she said. Molly wasn’t going to tell Irene that she still hummed the song she’d heard at the feast anytime there was no one around. “Just... um... just curious.”

Irene sent her a smile that was a little too knowing.

“Aren’t you curious about the king’s little secret?” she asked.

“Um... yes, but... I mean... it’s a secret, so if... you don’t have to tell me,” Molly said, stumbling over the words. Irene pursed her lips a bit making Molly want to take her words back. “But I-I mean... you _can_ tell me.”

“No, you’re right.” Irene stood up and started walking back. “They’re already after me, but I don’t need to involve you in this madness. Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Molly huffed and grabbed Irene by the wrist, turning her around so they were face to face. Irene looked surprised which felt very satisfying.

“I’m already involved,” Molly said with a glare. “What do you think they’ll do to me when they find out I’ve been helping a witch escape? If what you told me is true, I don’t think King James will care that I thought you were running away from poachers. And they can’t kill me twice for knowing a secret on top of that, can they?”

Irene’s eyes softened and sparkled with interest. Her mouth twitched around the corners when she wrestled her wrist from Molly’s grip and folded her arms.

“Oh, I like you,” she said, leaving Molly absolutely flustered. “Well, love, I knew you were more than just a pretty face.”

Which shouldn’t really matter at this point but somehow it made her blush even more. Molly looked away, embarrassed, but followed Irene back to the tree.

She wasn’t used to receiving compliments. The men she helped treat usually saw her as an extension of her father. Those who talked to her were quickly put off by her opinions. There was a rare good word now and then, but it was mostly aimed to please her father.

No one ever complimented her for having a brain and knowing how to use it.

“So you want to know?” Irene asked when they were sitting in the tree again. She had her arm behind Molly’s back and leaned on it right into Molly’s space, despite the pain in her ribs. It was probably supposed to feel intimate, create the right mood for sharing secrets, but there was something deliberate about it that made Molly shiver. ”You want to know the secret?” Irene purred into her ear. Molly closed her eyes and swallowed.

“Yes,” she said, higher than she meant to.

“Well then,” Irene said and Molly could hear a smile in her voice. She got even closer and whispered, “King James is not the rightful heir of Weaverall.”

Molly opened her eyes wide and nearly bumped her head into Irene’s nose when she turned to look at her in utter disbelief.

“What?” she breathed. “You mean... he has a different mother?”

“No, darling, that wouldn’t harm him at all if he played it well,” Irene said, tossing her hair over her shoulders. “And he would, I assure you. I’ve never met a man as sneaky as James. Not even Mycroft can keep the same level of manipulation.”

“You know King Mycroft?” Molly asked, even more astonished.

“Mm... he doesn’t particularly like me, I’ll admit,” Irene said, with a thoughtful look. She glanced back at Molly and smirked. “Maybe he’ll change his mind when I give him a reason to get rid of James once and for all. He’s been waiting so long for the proper excuse.”

“You’re...” Molly started and blinked, not sure how to finish. “You’re certainly more than I expected. Are you sure you’re not a witch?”

Irene threw her head back and laughed, a smooth, gentle sound that enraptured Molly with the same ease her song had done.

“Quite sure, yes,” Irene said. “I’m just good at gathering information.”

Molly could only agree. She could certainly see why Irene’s life was in danger. A secret this big had the potential to change not only King James’s life, but also the fate of the entire kingdom.

“So... how is the king not the rightful heir?” Molly asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

“Ah, but if I tell you now,” Irene started with a smirk, “how can I be sure you’ll come back tomorrow?”

Molly scowled at her and folded her arms.

“Not so long ago you didn’t want to get me involved at all,” she said.

“And then you showed me the error of my ways,” Irene told her smugly. “You’re smart, so I need to keep you impressed. Besides, it’s probably dinnertime already. If they notice you’re gone, they might think something’s wrong.”

Molly would really like to argue with that, but Irene had a point. Her father would definitely notice her absence and grow suspicious. She should probably do some household chores until the end of the day and stay out of her father’s judging looks.

“Fine,” she said reluctantly. “But if you’re not here tomorrow, you will wish that King James was the one after you.”

She stood up, ignoring Irene’s cheerful laughter and, sending a parting glare to make sure the message was properly received, she walked back to the castle.

 

***

 

When Molly headed back into the forest the next morning, she felt more tired than even after the most challenging day helping her father. The chores she needed to do kept her occupied until the late hours of the night. It didn't exactly put her in a good mood, so it was no wonder the first thing she said to Irene wasn't a polite greeting.

"I need you to tell me about King James," she demanded, barely taking in how unfairly graceful Irene's body looked, even enclosed in the small space and with bruised ribs.

"Aren't you a curious little thing," Irene said, amused, and stood up to stretch. Without the pads around her waist, she had a lovely figure that Molly could only envy. Molly clenched her jaw and crossed her arms, determined to stay on topic.

"I'm here and I want to know," she said.

Irene put her hands on her hips and tilted her head, smiling gently. Molly was determined to win any stare contest that would follow, but Irene surprised her again and simply told her the truth.

"You remember the story of how James became a king, yes?" she asked and started brushing her long hair with her fingers.

Molly nodded. Everyone in the kingdom knew this story. Parents told it to their children as if it were another tale, filled with dragons and fairies. It always felt magical to Molly, even though she was there to witness it while it happened.

Old King Robert was thought to be the last of his line for a very long time. His first wife, Annabelle, died giving birth to his first child and the medics were not able to rescue the boy either. It was years before the king married again, unable to recover from the grief of losing his family. The new queen, Celia, was a wise young woman, loved by her subjects, and the kingdom celebrated the news that she was with child.

That's when James appeared, wounded, thin and in ragged clothing. He sought audience with the king and to the astonishment of the Weaverall’s people, he was received with high honours.

The next day, King Robert gathered his subjects and told them the story of the child he thought he'd lost so long ago, that was now brought back to him. The prince had not died on that fateful day; he was kidnapped by those who wanted to weaken the kingdom. For years, the prince lived among them, treated only with contempt. But the prince wasn't stupid. He observed his captors and chose the best time to escape and get back to his family.

Then the king presented Prince James to the public. James looked almost unrecognizable in new clothes and a shiny gold crown, but it was the same man who had entered the castle the previous day.

The reunion was celebrated with a great feast that turned into a funeral wake only a few months later, when both the king and his pregnant wife died in a tragic accident. They were travelling to visit Celia’s family when their carriage slipped into a ravine during a badly executed robbery.

James had the robbers hanged but it couldn't bring back the family he had just got back. He couldn't hold on to his grief for long, though, because the kingdom needed a king. He still wore a part of his  father’s cloak tied around his wrist.

"Well," Irene said, "it's all a big fat lie."

Molly gasped and stared at Irene with wide eyes.

“But...” she started. “But it’s such a lovely story!”

“Isn’t it?” Irene said with raised eyebrows and a pointed tilt of her head. “Haven’t you ever thought it was a little bit too miraculous? A little bit too good to be real?”

She parted her hair in three and started braiding it without once taking her eyes off of Molly.

“Well... um...” Molly hesitated. Didn’t she just compare this story to the tales told and retold for centuries? “But how?” she asked.

Irene shrugged and then tied her braided hair with a ribbon that Molly had assumed was a bracelet.

“People like to believe in stories,” Irene said. She pulled the blanket from the tree and spread it on the grass. She then sat on the edge of it and patted the spot beside her with a smile. “And James is a wonderful storyteller.”

Molly frowned, not sure what to make of it, but sat down beside Irene and waited for an explanation. When none came, she fixed Irene with an impatient look.

“Well, what is it then?” she asked. “I mean... he... he had to have some kind of a... um... proof, right? For the king to believe him?”

Irene smiled at her as a mother would at a naive child. Molly pursed her lips.

“Molly, love,” she said and Molly glared. “He didn’t believe him one bit.”

Molly blinked and bit her lip. She couldn’t think of a reason why the king would allow all of this to happen if he knew the truth, and yet apparently he did.

“W-well...” she started. “Why then?”

Irene leaned back on her elbows and turned her head towards the sun. Molly’s eyes strayed to her long, exposed neck and she turned away with a blush. She only ever felt like this once around Prince Sherlock and... well, that was _different_ , surely. Girls weren’t supposed to feel like this about other girls.

Right?

“You probably heard that Queen Celia had been engaged to another man?” Irene said, distracting Molly from her panicky thoughts by bringing her back to the story.

“Um... yes, actually,” Molly said after clearing her throat. “To King Carl of Waterbloom. B-But he died, didn’t he? In some accident?”

“Yes, he did.” Irene looked at her pointedly. “He fell down the stairs, of all things. Everyone called it an accident, even though his signet ring was missing. Sherlock made such a fuss, said the king had been murdered, but, of course, he had no proof. The ring wasn’t there but there were tons of different reasons why it would be elsewhere. So dear King Carl was buried with all the honours and, wouldn’t you believe it, a month later King Robert announced his engagement to Celia.”

Molly bit her lip and played with the lace of her dress. She had always thought King Robert to be a good king, maybe touched by his grief but not... certainly not...

Maybe she _was_ the naive child Irene seemed to take her for.

“So... um...” she started quietly. “King Robert killed King Carl, that’s what you’re saying? And then K- then James found out about it... somehow... and... and King Robert had to tell his story to the kingdom or... or risk exposure. B-but the king wouldn’t just believe anyone on their word, I mean, James probably needed to have some kind of proof?”

She looked up at Irene, making sure she got it right, and still hoping maybe there was some mistake. Irene watched her with rapt eyes, as if Molly was a delicious fruit to be eaten.

“Oh, I knew you were a smart girl,” Irene said, her voice smooth like velvet again. “You almost figured it out.”

“Almost?”

“Mm.”

Irene watched her with a smile. Molly found that she couldn’t quite meet her eyes without feeling hot all over. She cleared her throat and fidgeted on the blanket and still didn’t know what to do with her hands. She clenched them tightly together to avoid more twitching.

“It was James who killed King Carl,” Irene said after a moment of silence. Molly looked at her with wide eyes. “The thing is, he did it for King Robert. Him coming to the kingdom with his lovely story wasn’t blackmail. He was just collecting the reward for a job well done.”

“Oh... wow,” Molly said, all the pieces finally falling together in her head. “And he took the ring, too. That’s why it was missing. He... well, if King Robert didn’t cooperate, he would just... reveal the truth.”

Irene looked at Molly with that smile again and turned completely towards her. Molly frowned but mimicked her position, trying not to show how much it was affecting her. They were talking about life-changing events and this...

Well, maybe it fit right in.

“You know, darling,” Irene started, casually tossing her hair back. “It seems like fainting in front of you was the best thing that could have possibly happened to me.”

And if Molly grew hot inside after this, no one could blame her.

 

***

 

When Molly got to the hollow tree the next day, it was empty. The blanket she had left for Irene was still bundled up in the trunk, but there was no sign of the woman.

Molly told herself not to panic. She couldn’t expect Irene to stay in one place. She probably just went for a walk or... or to find something to eat. It was really unlikely that the knights had found her here and if so, she would know about this. Witch trials always encouraged people to gossip.

No, she probably went to pick up some water, Molly realized when she noticed the metal tin she’d brought from home missing from its place on the lower branch. She let out a relieved sigh and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. She left her basket in the trunk and covered it with the blanket, and then started walking towards the stream.

She heard Irene before she saw her.

Molly was still several feet away from the thick wall of bushes that grew near the stream when she heard a beautiful melody, carried easily over the water. It wasn’t the same song she heard during the latest feast, but something softer, more melancholy, that seemed to fill Molly’s heart with emotion she couldn’t even name. She couldn’t understand the words but she didn’t need them to become absolutely enchanted.

She crept closer, careful not to make a sound. She didn’t want to disrupt the melody before she could fully enjoy it. She started humming along quietly but then froze when stepped around the bushes.

Irene wasn’t picking up water. She was bathing. She stood in the middle of the stream that barely just reached her knees and used the metal tin to wash her very naked body.

Molly knew she should avert her eyes. It was the polite thing to do, something she'd expect from others if it was her in Irene’s place. Yet just as easily as the melody had, the graceful movements of Irene's beautiful body had Molly mesmerised and unable to look away. She could feel blood pounding in her veins and her cheeks were probably close to scarlet from how warm they felt.

So maybe girls could feel this way about other girls, because Molly knew how embarrassment felt and this wasn't it. She swallowed and finally managed to look away, ready to flee.

"Don't be shy, darling," Irene called, without as much as a pause in her routine. Molly looked back at her incredulously. "You mustn’t be afraid of the human body.”

Irene put the tin down and turned to face Molly. She didn’t look even slightly ashamed but maybe that’s how it worked when people had gorgeous bodies.

“I-I’m not,” Molly nearly squeaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Physician’s daughter, remember?”

“Yes,” Irene said, looking at Molly with an amused little smile. “But that’s different, isn’t it?”

Molly opened her mouth to protest but then Irene put her arms above her head and stretched. Molly swallowed her words and looked away with a new blush.

She saw bodies in various states of undress almost on a daily basis. The sick and wounded needed tending to and the last thing that was on their mind were their clothes. Molly also helped with the dead. She washed and dressed them countless of times, so she’d really thought she knew the human body well.

But maybe Irene was right and this was something different.

“Um... I brought you clothes... a dress... and something to eat,” Molly told her hands. “I-I can bring you the dress?”

She held her breath and waited for an answer that wasn’t coming. She frowned and was just about to give in and have a look, when a soft breath on her neck made her skin tickle.

“Or,” Irene purred into her ear. “You can stay and join me.”

“I-I’m...” Molly started, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No?” Irene drawled. “Then be a love and bring me the blanket.”

Molly closed her eyes when soft fingers gently caressed her neck. Then the touch disappeared and Irene walked back to the stream, leaving Molly to recover by herself, which... yes, she really needed that. As soon as she got her breath back, she turned around and walked briskly towards the hollow tree. She grabbed the blanket and her basket, just in case, and went back to the stream.

Irene was sitting on a trunk of a fallen tree, with one leg bent at the knee and the other still in the water. She was leaning back on her elbows and turned her head towards the sun, exposing her neck to Molly. Well, not only her neck. Well...

She looked like a piece of art.

She must have heard Molly approaching — not that Molly tried to be very quiet — and she turned to look at her with a smile.

“Thank you, darling,” Irene said, slowly getting up and stretching, ignoring her bruised ribs again. She came towards Molly, completely unbothered by her nakedness, and used the blanket to dry herself.

"I-I also brought you the... um... the dress," Molly said, looking everywhere but at Irene.

"Thank you, love, but I'll stick to the trousers for now," Irene said. She enveloped herself in the blanket and went to fetch her clothes that, Molly now noticed, had also been washed and dried. "They're more comfortable."

She started dressing herself while Molly tried to regain her composure enough to form a coherent sentence.

"W-well, I thought a dress would help," she started. "With the knights-trying-to-catch-you problem. I mean, it wouldn't help with the running, obviously, not that you can run that well in the forest but... um... it would be even worse in the dress, only—"

"Molly," Irene interrupted her softly while wringing her hair. "Breathe."

"Okay," she squeaked. She could do that. She did it every day, all the time. Just... inhale and exhale.

Molly managed to take a couple of deep breaths and calmed down a bit.

"Now," Irene said, coming closer, fully clothed. "What were you trying to say?"

"Well, I-I thought... the knights know what you're wearing, so why not change it? They'd be expecting to see a fugitive in a man's wear, not a dress."

"Mm..." Irene hummed, looking at Molly with thoughtful eyes. "Yes, that does make sense, thank you." She smiled. "Although you should know that trousers are hardly only man's wear anymore. Well, maybe in this kingdom they are, but that's because James likes to play games with everyone who will let him do it."

"Okay," Molly said, not sure how to react to that. There were more important things she wanted, no, needed to know. "Do you have a plan what to do now?" She gripped her basket tightly, afraid of the answer. But Irene should get out of here; her life was in danger and it was... it was for the best.

"Want to get rid of me so soon, darling?" Irene asked and raised her eyebrows.

"Oh no, I didn't..." Molly rushed to explain, angry at herself. "I didn't mean—"

"Relax, Molly, I'm only joking," Irene said. She spread the blanket on the ground, frowned at it and then sat down. "Feel free to join me, if you can find a dry piece of blanket."

Molly hesitated but decided that standing over Irene would be more awkward than sitting beside her and found herself a... not-so-wet spot.

"You were right about the clothes though," Irene told her, brushing her hair with her fingers. "I dressed like this to look like a man, so they would have a harder time finding me. It would work, too, but the person I confided in betrayed me and next thing I knew, I was being chased by James's minions." She rolled her eyes, as if it was only a minor inconvenience. "So the dress idea is lovely, thank you."

"B-but... um... what are we going to do now?" Molly asked.

Irene shot her a sharp look.

"Well," she started with a smirk. "You really want to involve yourself in this, don't you?"

Molly folded her arms and glared.

"I told you," she said, trying to be confident. "I'm already involved. And I want to help." She gave Irene her basket to make her point. "So, what's the plan?"

Irene took the basket and pulled out the dress. She looked it over from different angles and nodded.

"It might be tight around the hips but it will do nicely," she said and smiled at Molly. Then she noticed the bread and raised her eyebrow. "You're not trying to feed me up so I can't fit in the dress, are you?"

Molly was pretty sure it was a joke. Mostly sure. But not all the way there, so of course she got all flustered and stammering again.

"I-I'm... I mean, you look... and you would anyway but..." she took a deep breath. "Well, it's just a bit of bread. You should eat more anyway, so if anything, you'll be too thin."

"Mm..." Irene purred. "I can be anything you want, darling."

Molly looked down and tried to ignore the heat radiating from her cheeks.

"So, um... the plan? What can I do?" she asked.

Irene huffed an amused little laugh and leaned back on her elbows.

"I plan to go and sing nicely to Mycroft," she said. "He will be ever so pleased, though of course he won't show it. Not a very emotional man, _that_ one." She smiled and Molly could tell that she was thinking about someone else. Probably Sherlock. Molly would even completely understand if Irene and Sherlock... well. If Irene liked him. After all, Molly did too. Had done.

"Don't you need proof?" she asked, distracting herself. "I-I mean... King Mycroft isn't just going to believe your word, right? Not that I think you're lying!" she rushed to reassure. "And... well, maybe the king will believe it, but he can't really... I don't know... declare war just because. Well, I suppose he _could_ but that wouldn't be very smart, would it?"

Irene smirked and her eyes sparkled. She looked like she was laughing at a private joke that Molly wasn't in on.

"I'd like to see Mycroft's face if you told him he wasn't smart," she said.

Molly was about to protest but it seemed like her attempts only made the conversation go in circles, and she really needed to know.

"What can I do to help?" she asked.

Irene looked at her with a speculative look and smiled.

"I have a perfect task for you, love."

 

***

 

This was madness, Molly thought, making her way towards the market and trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. She had to be mad to agree to do this, honestly. She must have lost her mind that first day she dragged the unconscious Irene to the cave.

And yet, knowing that changed nothing. She was going to do it.

It was a perfect day for going to the market. The sun finally appeared on the sky after three days of rain. Three days Molly spent alternating between worrying about Irene falling ill and thinking about the plan.

So the sun was nice but also not that much. Molly lost a perfectly good excuse to stay at home.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She was slowly gaining a new appreciation for the spies' work. Well, not that she hadn't had it before but now she almost felt like one of them, so it was different.

Molly reached the market square and let out a relieved sigh. Of course there was a lot of people. Of course she would just blend in with the crowd. Irene was right, she could do it. It still wasn't easy but she could do it.

As soon as she found the right stand.

Molly wandered around the market, buying things for her father and some food, but she was always searching for what Irene had described.

"Remember," Irene had said. "This stand changes constantly, so you need to observe the details. And it's very important that you don't ask for Soo Lin until you're absolutely sure you're in the right place."

So Molly observed the best she could but she circled the market twice now and saw no sign of a black lotus anywhere. She wasn't about to give up though and when she finally spotted the simple paper flower sitting on a table, she had to contain an excited squeak.

She breathed slowly a couple of times and moved towards the stand.

"Soo Lin?" she asked an older woman standing behind the table. The woman looked at Molly with piercing eyes and then turned and vanished behind the curtain without a word. "Oh," Molly breathed, trying not to panic. What if she got the wrong stand after all? Will James's knights come now and—

"Hello," Molly heard from behind the table. She turned and saw a young woman with an easy smile. "I'm Soo Lin. How can I help you?"

Molly closed her eyes and tried to breathe again.

"I-I'm..." she finally said and fished something out of her basket. "I wish to trade this ring for another." She extended her hand and Soo Lin took the ring with a frown. Then she looked at it closely and her eyes widened.

"Of course," she said, putting the ring down. She looked at Molly for a while and then nodded to herself. "Here." She opened a decorative box that looked similar to all the other boxes, and revealed a gold signet ring with the family emblem engraved on it. "Will this one do?"

Molly stared at the ring. Here, right in front of her, lay a proof of everything Irene had told her. She barely managed to nod, she was so overwhelmed.

Soo Lin smiled at her again.

"Would you wait here a moment? I'll fetch you the authenticity papers for the gold," she said.

"Oh, okay." Molly took the ring and buried it carefully under layers of things in her basket.

Soo Lin disappeared behind the heavy curtain, which made Molly feel suddenly exposed. She tried to act normal but she couldn’t suppress the urge to look around, searching for possible threats. She couldn’t see anyone paying any special attention to her, but it didn’t mean she was safe, maybe just unobservant. She just started to panic, when Soo Lin returned with a sealed envelope. There was a written contract between King Robert and James inside.

“Here,” Soo Lin said and handed her the letter. Molly took it with a slightly shaking hand. “How is your sister doing?” Soo Lin asked casually.

Molly hid the envelope, grateful that at least Soo Lin knew what she was doing.

“She’s... um... she’s fine,” Molly said. “We’re... collecting some herbs in the woods.”

Soo Lin smiled gently at her and nodded.

“Take good care of her,” she said. “She thinks she can conquer it all, and maybe she could, but everyone needs help from time to time.”

After that, Soo Lin disappeared behind the curtain again, leaving Molly alone, with a basket that seemed ten times heavier now.

“I will,” she whispered and left the market.

 

***

 

“No,” she said with a glare.

“Molly—”

“You can’t just walk to Stonedrack and hope no one will notice!” Molly protested, really angry at Irene this time. She shouldn’t be. It wasn’t her business what Irene did with her life. Well, it shouldn’t be, even if it kind of was now. A bit. “This is a stupid plan!”

Irene crossed her arms and looked at Molly with raised eyebrows.

“And you have a better one, I assume,” she said.

“No,” Molly admitted grudgingly. “But I-I will have one. _We_ will have one, if you could just stay here a little longer...”

“I don’t have time! There are knights all over the place and it’s a little miracle as it is that they haven’t found me here yet.” Irene started pacing in front of the tree, visibly shaken. “Who knows what James will do when he grows desperate. He might as well burn this forest, and then what?”

“But it’s miles and miles away!” Molly exclaimed. “What happens if they find you? O-or if the bandits kill you? I wouldn’t even know if—”

She stopped and clenched her jaw tightly before she could say something she might regret. She needed to remember that this wasn’t about her. That what happened to Irene was mainly Irene’s concern, and yes, Molly would be... more than sad if something happened to her but it also wasn’t Molly’s place to decide what was best for her. Irene was not her family, wasn’t even her friend, even if Molly considered herself Irene’s friend. And she was one of the most independent people Molly’s ever met. So, really, this shouldn’t bother her so much.

“Molly, love,” Irene started gently and Molly hated her a little for it. She was a grown woman. She could handle this... well... this situation. “I’ll be fine.”

She stopped pacing and Molly looked at her, just... looked at her for a very long time. She wasn’t sure if she tried to memorise how Irene looked (as if she could ever forget) or if she wanted to remember her like this: alive, beautiful and confident. Just in case it would change in the next couple of weeks.

Or, possibly, Molly tried to change Irene’s mind just by looking at her, in which case she failed miserably, so maybe she should just stick to the first two options.

“I-I guess there’s nothing I can do to make you stay,” Molly said with a sigh. She held her hand up when Irene opened her mouth to answer. “I-it’s fine, I... I, um... You know best, of course, a-and it is probably the best option. The sooner you get to Stonedrack, the safer you will be.”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Still, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a gentle hand landed on her shoulder.

“Molly—” Irene started again.

“No, that’s fine, it’s fine. It’s really... fine. I’m...” She opened her eyes and searched her basket for the ring and the contract. She handed them over without looking Irene in the eye. “I hope you’ll get there safely.”

Molly squared her shoulders and started walking away but after a few steps, she stopped and turned around. Irene was watching her with a sad expression that she immediately replaced with a cheeky grin. Molly came back to her and hugged her awkwardly, feeling silly and inadequate. She must have done _something_ right, because Irene hugged her back.

“Just... don’t die, okay?” Molly said into Irene’s neck.

“I will do my best.”

Molly found herself nodding before she disentangled herself from the embrace. She then turned on her heel and ran away before she could do something embarrassing, like crying. She would cry later, in the privacy of her room, but not in front of this amazing woman she would never see again.

Her walk home was uneventful. When she finally reached her quarters, she ignored Toby’s demands for her attention and slumped against the cold wall of her room. Only then she allowed herself a few moments of overwhelming sadness. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time, perhaps since her mother had died. When she finally ran out of tears, she washed her face and tried to compose herself before her father came home. He might need her help and Molly had to be ready at a moment’s notice.

She took a couple of deep breaths and went to put away the things she bought at the market. Only then she noticed a piece of paper left for her on the table. It was a message from her father telling her to check on sir Charles, who insisted on trying too many salves for his constantly sweating body. Molly felt herself grimace just thinking about the visit. It would be okay if everything sir Charles did was sweat, but he also made inappropriate comments about other people and looked at her like he knew all her secrets.

Which, right at this moment, was a dangerous territory.

She sighed and collected a new ointment that was supposed to make the skin drier, and left the physician’s quarters in search of sir Charles.

Molly was just passing by the Throne Hall when she heard something that made her blood run cold.

“—in the old part of the forest,” someone said and Molly realised with horror that it was the king’s voice. “Grab her and bring her to me. You can beat her up a bit, I suppose, but not too much. She’s of no use to me dead.”

Molly’s heart started beating furiously in her chest and she could hear its furious pulse in her ears. They were talking about Irene. They knew where she was. How?

The door was left ajar, which was the only reason Molly could even hear the voices from the room. She gravitated closer to the door and listened, trying not to panic.

“But...” another person said after a moment of tense silence. “My Lord, the old forest—”

“You will do as I say!!!” James yelled and Molly jumped, barely containing a squeak. She looked around, searching for people that might have heard it, too. Even though she saw no one, she put her dress between stones in the wall, so that it looked like she was stuck there and not, in fact, eavesdropping. “The forest will do you no harm,” the king continued in a more controlled voice. “That’s just a silly superstition.” Another moment of silence followed and then James sighed as if all the weight of the world had been put on his shoulders. “Look, we know she’s there. You followed that little physician mouse, so you know that better than I do.” Molly felt her world shift and she might have collapsed if she wasn’t already leaning on the wall. So this was her fault? “How long do you think a simple woman can resist?”

“But... My Lord, she’s a witch,” someone protested. “She could have us killed with a snap of her fingers.”

Yes! Let them think that! Let them be cautious around Irene until Molly could think of something that would help her. It would be enough if Irene just threatened them...

King James laughed. He sounded insane and Molly shivered.

“Please,” he said. “That little witch couldn’t kill a fly if she tried. Not in that part of the forest. I told you, the forest won’t be able to hurt you, and that also means she could do no magic there.”

Well, that was bad. Molly desperately needed a new plan, as quickly as possible.

“And once we leave the forest?” someone asked.

“Do you morons need to have _everything_ explained to you?!” the king snapped. Someone cleared his throat pointedly and James sighed. “Knock her unconscious or something. And if not...” He paused for a moment and Molly could only hear a weird noise, as if someone pushed a heavy object on the floor. “If not, take this,” he said. Molly couldn’t see what he was showing them but she was pretty sure he was going to make them believe some nonsense. “It’s a special fabric that blocks all magic. My father...” His voice faltered. If Molly didn’t know better, she would believe him. “My father gave it to me for protection, so, please, bring it back.”

“What about the girl?” another voice asked and Molly held her breath.

“Oh, she’s not important, leave her be,” James said with clear dismissal in his voice. “She probably doesn’t even know anything about the witch. Maybe she was charmed to help her, who knows.” A quiet murmur of agreement followed his words and Molly let out the breath she’d been holding. If they didn’t suspect her, she would have an advantage. “Now, chop-chop, go to your horses and bring me the witch before she can escape!”

There was a commotion in the hall and Molly deemed it a perfect time for her strategic retreat. She straightened her dress, turned on her heel and ran back towards her quarters. She needed a plan. And supplies. Well, maybe she should just grab everything that looked at least a little useful and figure out the plan when she was already on her way.

Yes, that sounded better. She ignored Toby and grabbed her basket. She packed what little money she had, some food and water, her father’s smallest trousers and a linen shirt, and then she just added anything she thought could be handy. Like a knife. And smoke bombs her cousins made for her. And every salve or oil or potion that could prove to be useful. With everything in hand, she ran away from her quarters and left the castle through the east gate. Then she entered the forest in a different place than usual, hoping that the knights would choose the more obvious route. There was no way she could outrun them if they were bringing horses; the path leading to the old forest was wide and mostly clear of undergrowth. So Molly needed to improvise and, hopefully, get there in time to do some damage control.

When she was safely hidden, she changed into the more comfortable clothes and put her dress into her basket. The trousers were a bit too wide for her, but she tied them tighter and started making her way through the forest. She could hear the horses nearby, and people calling to each other. Maybe Irene had heard them and escaped. Maybe she was already far away. After all, that was her plan, wasn’t it?

However, when Molly reached the old part of the forest, Irene was standing by the hollow tree, in the middle of a tight circle of knights. She held her head high and had her jaw clenched, maybe trying to look like a witch. Molly would probably believe her if she didn’t know better.

“And what makes you believe your king knows anything about magic?” Irene asked, as if bored.

Molly saw doubt appear on the knights’ faces and squeaked in triumph inside her head. Then she looked around and picked a long, thick branch. She may not be brave enough to come rescue Irene like a noble knight from some tale, but she could still help. She lifted the branch and repeatedly hit a tree with it. The noise wasn’t very loud, but it echoed nicely. Now she only needed someone to notice it.

As if on cue, a couple of horses near her fidgeted uneasily.

“What _is_ that?” asked one of the knights and everyone in the circle fell silent.

Molly took a deep breath and steeled herself. Time to work some magic. She started hitting the tree with a careful rhythm.

“Stop doing this!” another knight snapped when his horse moved his head around with angry huffs.

“Well then, gentlemen,” Irene started calmly, looking amused, “maybe you should reconsider your stance on capturing me.”

Molly rolled her eyes and willed Irene to stop provoking them. With one hand, she kept the rhythm and with the other, she searched her basket for something useful. She smiled when she spotted an oil they used to treat severe burns. It was efficient, but also nasty-smelling. She held her breath and opened the vial with her teeth, still keeping the rhythm. The smell hit her nose anyway, but she was used to it and managed not to inhale it.

The knights reacted instantly, making disgusted noises and covering their faces. The horses grew even more uneasy and started bouncing off of each other in nervous attempts to get away. The knights needed to put a lot of effort into keeping a minimum of control. Well then. Molly stopped hitting the tree with the branch and poured the contents of the vial over it. Then she threw the branch towards the circle of knights, trying not to hit any of the horses. She did hit a _knight_ in the shoulder, but that didn’t concern her nearly as much.

One of the horses reared and threw his rider off, then ran away into the forest. Two other horses followed his lead, making a great opportunity for Irene to escape. Sadly, a couple of knights still had some control over their horses and pointed their weapons at Irene. Molly took a deep breath and decided it was time to show some bravery.

She crept closer to the now incomplete circle of knights and tried to memorise their positions. She wouldn’t want to ruin her plan at the last moment by running into a tree or a horse. Or a sword. Another horse disappeared into the forest and Molly chose that moment to throw the smoke bomb.

It all went dark in an instant, or rather the smoke made it difficult to see. Molly leapt out from behind the tree, put the basket in the crease of her elbow and ran towards the circle, with her arms extended in front of her, just in case.

“Irene?” she called, blinking away the smoke that got into her eyes.

“Here, darling,” she heard a bit to her left. She started in that direction and let out a relieved sigh when her hands reached Irene’s shoulders.

Molly searched for Irene’s hand, gripped it tightly and started running.

 

***

 

They ran until they couldn't breathe. Molly led them through the less obvious parts of the woods towards the main road leading to the town. Maybe they could catch a leaving cart or at least join the merchants going back to their home villages. It would be easier for them to disappear in the crowd.

"Molly," Irene breathed, letting go of her hand and bending over with her hands on her knees. “Can we... can we just... stop for a moment?”

“No time,” Molly insisted. “We need to... get out of here... as soon as possible. Before they find us.”

She did stop though and tried to catch her breath. She was still hyper-aware of her surroundings and every unusual sound had her darting glances in every direction.

“After that daring rescue mission?” Irene said with her back leaning on a tree. “Darling, I think they’ll be scarred for life. Certainly scared enough to call for help.”

“Well... um...” Molly started, her cheeks getting hot again. “It was nothing.”

“Molly,” Irene drawled, her eyes trained on Molly, an amused smile on her lips. “If anything, it was really _something_.”

Molly muttered something under her breath and fixed her gaze down on her feet. She felt Irene come closer and kiss her on the cheek.

“Thank you,” Irene said into her ear. “That was a very brave thing to do.”

“Well, I-I…” Molly stammered, still not looking at Irene. “I didn’t… um… steal a horse and… defeat all the knights with my… sword…” she finished lamely.

“Mm... and there was no dragon slaying either, and yet you did exactly what I needed in that moment.” Irene tapped Molly’s head with her finger to make a point. “I very much prefer that to silly sword fights.”

“Y-yeah, um… I’m…” Molly took a deep breath, then cleared her throat. “We should go and find the main road.”

“We can do that,” Irene agreed and stepped back. “As soon as you explain to me your choice of clothing.”

Molly shot her a wide-eyed look and gave herself a once-over. It shouldn’t matter what she was wearing as long as it was functional and could get them to safety. But suddenly she felt as if she dared to wear a sack of potatoes to a royal ball. Irene was wearing a dress, Molly’s dress, but somehow it fit her much better than it had ever fit Molly. Even in man’s clothes, Irene looked stunning, so of course she would look good in a dress.

“I... well, I borrowed my father’s clothes,” Molly said, wringing her hands. “I thought it would be more... um... practical.”

“Mm...” Irene started thoughtfully and Molly finally looked up. She had that calculating look trained on Molly. “You’re probably right,” she said after a while and took off the dress faster than Molly could react.

“Wha—”

Thankfully, she had the clothes Molly found her in under the dress, because otherwise, Molly would probably burst into flames. Irene folded the dress and placed it carefully in Molly’s basket.

“I’m impressed you didn’t drop the basket while we were running,” she said, looking through the various things Molly took with her from her quarters.

“W-well, I... I have a lot of practice, actually.”

Irene straightened up and smiled at her softy. Then she cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

“Shall we?” she asked.

Molly managed a nod and reached for her basket. She startled a little when she felt Irene’s hand finding its way back into hers. It was comforting though, so Molly just squeezed lightly and guided them the rest of the way out.

 

***

 

The road wasn’t full of people, but it wasn’t deserted either, which Molly noticed with great relief. There was even a merchant cart coming their way from the castle.

“Leave it to me,” Irene said to her, also observing the cart.

She made her way to the middle of the road, gently swaying her hips and moving with an effortless grace Molly could only envy. The cart stopped right in front of her and an angry looking man glared at Irene from his place behind the horses.

“You’ll want to move, Miss,” he snapped.

“But of course,” Irene practically purred. “As soon as you tell me where you’re heading, sir.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. He looked at what Irene was wearing and shook his head.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” he grumbled. “But I’m taking my wife back to Stonedrack.”

If Irene was bothered by the comment or the rude way in which it was delivered, she didn’t show it. She just smiled and tossed her hair back.

“Well, as it happens I’m trying to take my friend back to Stonedrack, too,” she said. “Our carriage broke down, you see — a faulty wheel — and we could use a ride.”

The man sighed heavily.

“Get out of my way,” he growled, but Irene still didn’t look intimidated.

“What’s wrong, Phillip?” asked a woman with a strong makeup peering over the edge of the cart.

“Nothing, dear, I’m just dealing with these two little thieves.”

“We don’t want your money, sir,” Irene protested and, for the first time during the conversation, Molly could hear a steely note in her voice. “We just need to get to Stonedrack.”

“Then figure out another way!” the man, Phillip, yelled.

Molly could see there was no reasoning with this man. He had it in his head that the two of them invented some kind of a scheme to rob him and wouldn’t be convinced otherwise. The only problem was that Irene seemed to believe she could change his mind. She was already opening her mouth to speak when Phillip took the reins and Molly decided it was time to act. Irene was just stubborn enough to get herself ran over by a couple of horses and a cart with cargo. So Molly rushed to her side and pulled her back by her left arm, just in time for the grumpy man to ride past them and not over them.

“That wasn’t necessary,” Irene said, straightening her shirt. “I would have convinced him.”

Molly crossed her arms and glared at her.

“You would have died,” she said.

“Well, darling, don’t be so overdramatic.”

Irene rolled her eyes, which only served to annoy Molly even more.

“Right,” she said. “I’m going to walk alongside these people here, away from the castle, and you can join me if you think you can handle that.”

Molly didn’t wait for an answer and simply started walking alongside people coming back from the castle after having made a deal or another. Some of them eyed her suspiciously given her unusual clothes, but they all had places to be and no one said anything.

Irene, Molly was pleased to see, walked right beside her.

 

***

 

By the time they reached a tavern, Molly's feet throbbed with pain, she was exhausted and hungry, and seriously re-evaluating her life choices.

It was also beginning to get dark, so Molly was rather proud of them for reaching a relatively safe place to stay. She would have spent the night in the open, farther away from the road if she had to, but she felt much less exposed this way.

Irene somehow managed to look as beautiful as ever, which Molly thought was completely unfair.

It did help them get a bed and a warm meal though — well, that and Molly's money, but she was sure at least some of it was Irene's doing — so maybe Molly shouldn't hold it against her.

The meal was pretty tasteless, but it was warm, and they weren't in any position to pick and choose. Who knew when they would have another opportunity to eat.

They were sitting in a biggish room cluttered with long tables and benches as much as it possibly could. It was probably the best way to fully use the space's capacity, especially in a tavern so close to the castle, but it also meant that the man sitting at the table behind her kept elbowing her in the back. She winced and scooted to the right, closer to Irene, somehow more willing to be elbowed by a familiar person.

But Irene did not hit her with any part of her arm. In fact, she stopped eating and thoughtfully observed the tavern’s patrons.

"I think I know this woman," she said quietly, nodding at an older lady in purple that was chatting with a dark-haired girl.

"Okay?" Molly said, not sure what to make of it. Irene looked at her and a corner of her mouth shook slightly.

"I saw her a lot around Sherlock," she said. "She's like his honorary mother, and he lets her boss him around even though she doesn't technically have any official role in the castle. Her husband was a knight but then Sherlock found out he stole from the crown and murdered several people to get what he wanted, so he was executed."

Molly gasped.

"And he makes the poor woman serve him?" she whispered.

Irene just shook her head at her.

"She's doing it willingly," she said and Molly looked at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Not all marriages turn out to be perfect matches, darling. I imagine it's a relief when you no longer have to wonder if your husband is going to murder you someday." Irene shrugged and looked back at the lady in question. "Now if I could only remember her name..."

Molly let Irene think for a while and she used the time to eat the rest of her stew. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her though.

"And the girl?" she asked, looking at the older lady's smiling companion.

"Oh, that delightful creature?" Irene asked and Molly felt a pang of something that was certainly not jealousy in her stomach. "I have no idea."

Molly just hummed. The girl wasn't that beautiful, was she? Sure, she had pretty, long and dark hair, a large clean smile and some lovely curves that Molly lacked but... surely it wasn't _that_ remarkable.

"Lady Hudson," Irene said, making Molly focus back on her. "That's the name." She turned to look at Molly and smiled. "Well, darling, we might have just found our way to Stonedrack."

 

***

 

Somehow, Irene managed to convince Lady Hudson to take Molly and her with them to see King Mycroft. The four of them spent the rest of the evening together, chatting politely. Molly kept sending the younger woman — Janine — wary glances, even though she seemed like a nice, amicable person. Something about the way Irene acted around her made Molly’s stomach coil in knots.

They went to sleep in a different room than Janine and Lady Hudson, and Molly didn’t really want to look too closely at the relief she felt at this. If Irene even liked girls that way, it would probably make more sense for her to be interested in someone like Janine and not plain little Molly. Not that Molly was interested in girls.

(Not that she wasn’t.)

The thoughts distracted her from other things, so that was probably why she hadn’t started panicking earlier about how narrow the bed seemed now and how close she would be to Irene for the entire night.

But Irene had other plans.

“Do you want the first or the second watch?” she asked.

“Mm?”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I would really rather avoid waking up with a knife at my throat,” Irene said casually and shrugged. “Not everyone here has noble intentions. In fact, many of the guests would take the opportunity if it was presented to them. I would prefer not to make it easy.”

“Oh, um...” Molly bit her lip. “I-I didn’t really think about it.”

Irene looked at her with an amused expression.

“Of course not, darling,” she said. “That’s why you travel with me.”

Molly frowned at her, ready to protest that it was not like that at all. It seemed like too much effort though, so she just sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’ll take the first watch,” she said.

“Well then.” Irene took off her shoes and lay on the bed, facing Molly. “Wake me up if you want to switch or if something happens.” She stretched on the bed and yawned. “And keep an eye on that basket of yours, too.”

 

***

 

Molly still felt tired and sleepy over breakfast, so she wasn’t really surprised when she fell asleep at the back of the carriage. What surprised her though was that she woke up to the sound of a gentle melody in Irene’s soft voice, with her head on Irene’s lap. She kept her breath slow and even to enjoy this moment for as long as possible.

As she grew more aware, Molly heard a pleasant chatter over the song notes, even if she didn’t focus on the words. She didn’t really want to when Irene’s beautiful voice embraced her with such a lovely tune.

It wasn’t a song she recognized; not the lovely one from the feast nor the haunting melody she heard in the forest but something that sounded like a lullaby. Except, Molly wasn’t planning on falling asleep again anytime soon.

At some point, Irene’s hand found its way into Molly’s hair and she gently brushed it with her fingers. Molly needed to suppress a pleased sound that wanted to escape her, or else she would give herself away, and she really didn’t want Irene to stop doing whatever she was doing.

“I know you’re awake,” Irene said softly.

To do that, she had to stop singing and Molly immediately felt the loss. She reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up at Irene’s smiling face.

“How long was I asleep?” she asked and yawned.

“Well,” Irene started, still brushing her hair. “It’s past noon now. I think we still have a whole day of journey ahead of us.”

“Mm... why is this stupid kingdom so far away?” Molly asked, not really meaning it.

Irene huffed but said nothing. She started humming again, her fingers never leaving Molly’s hair alone.

“Are you worried about your father?” Irene asked after a while, a slight hesitation in her voice.

Molly sighed. She didn’t want to think about it just yet, not when she felt so cosy and comfortable.

“I am,” she admitted. “I should have left him a note but I still hoped that maybe you had already left. It would be difficult to explain to him if I came back with a basket full of weird things.”

“Mm...”

Irene pushed gently at her shoulders and Molly sat up in front of her. Irene’s hands immediately fell on Molly’s neck, working their way to her back. Molly hummed gratefully as the tension in her muscles slowly eased.

“I’m more worried about what James might do to him,” Molly said quietly.

“I wouldn’t worry that much,” Irene said, pressing into a stubborn knot in Molly’s shoulder. “The knights he sent after me are most likely convinced I cast a spell on them. They won’t even know you were there.”

Molly took a deep breath and tried to relax, which Irene was very helpful with. She still couldn’t shake it all off.

“I know, but... James knows I’m involved in all this and he might want to interrogate my father.” She closed her eyes when Irene’s fingers dug even lower. “It’s a bit comforting that he’s a court physician though. There aren’t many people in town qualified enough to hold that position.”

Irene snorted and Molly looked at her over her shoulder in surprise.

“It’s great to see James’s stupid rules working against him,” Irene said and shrugged. She looked Molly in the eye though, as if making sure she was okay. “If he let more people study, he could have played this situation to his advantage.”

Molly let this sink in, a little grain of hope already working its way into her thoughts.

“So... you think my father will be alright?” she asked.

Irene sighed.

“I don’t know, darling,” she said. “I wish I could tell you. But James is insane and unpredictable. Even dear Sherlock thinks so now.”

Molly nodded, her lips in a tight line.

“How are our hosts doing?” she asked to change the subject. To her great surprise, Irene started giggling. Molly turned to face her with raised eyebrows. “What?”

“Well, they mostly gossip about Sherlock’s pretty hair and cheekbones,” Irene said, amused. “And also about his wedding.”

“Prince Sherlock’s getting married?” Molly asked with wide eyes. There was a time when that information might have bothered her on some irrational level, but now she was mainly curious. Strange how things could change so quickly.

“Oh, yes,” Irene said with a spark in her eyes. “It seems that he and John have finally stopped being stubborn idiots. Lady Hudson was just telling me about the magnificent fabric she bought for their wedding robes. That’s why she travelled to Weaverall, by the way. Apparently, she has a good eye for these things. Janine went with her on Sherlock’s orders, but she doesn’t seem upset about it.”

Molly was still a little bit stuck on the beginning so the rest barely registered. She blinked several times and shook her head.

“But...” she started. “John is a man’s name. Isn’t it?”

Irene smirked and batted her lashes at her.

“Yes, darling,” she said. “They are both men.”

“And it’s... I mean...” Molly felt the blush on her cheeks again and just pursed her lips.

“It’s perfectly fine,” Irene said softly. She took Molly’s hand and looked her in the eye. “I told you, James takes every opportunity he can to prevent people from coming close enough to threaten his position. Limiting the rights of certain groups is certainly a part of that.”

Molly looked down at their joined hands. She flexed her fingers experimentally and felt an answering squeeze from Irene’s hand.

“S-so, um...” Molly started, still looking at their hands. “I-it’s okay for... for girls to... like other girls, too?”

“Molly...” Irene pulled at her hand and when that didn’t help, she gently pushed Molly’s chin up. Irene smiled at her then, and kissed her briefly on the mouth. “It’s perfectly alright.”

Molly just sat there for a moment, with her eyes closed and her lips still tingling from the kiss. Then she smiled shyly and looked at Irene.

“Okay then,” she said and gave Irene’s hand a squeeze.


End file.
